All downhill from here

AMS students work on park, garden improvement projects

Alton Middle School students found out Friday that hard work can be fun. Three middle school boys work together to roll a log down the hillside on the west side of the school’s property during the AMS Service Day. A small army of students were clearing the hillside of bush honeysuckle and dead logs and branches.

Some of the students used rakes and hoes to clear the weeds and honeysuckle, which has almost taken over the hillside. Teachers and some administrators also joined in the work detail.

ALTON — From digging in the muck to hauling away dead trees, more than 400 seventh-graders at Alton Middle School got a workout Friday as part of a Global Youth Service Days project.

Working in two groups, the students cleaned up the area between the middle school and Rock Spring Park, as well as put in some work on the school’s garden project.

AMS student Reuben Curtis and four others teamed up to carry logs from the hillside to a collection point south of the tennis courts. They were among several groups of boys hauling logs and heavy branches.

“We’ve got big trees,” he observed, adding the work was “not too hard,” but heavy.

Several groups were hauling logs, while others raked, pulled and planted.

Curtis said he sometimes comes to the park for gym class, or to help in the garden, and said the project was worthwhile.

“It helps our environment,” he said. “We have to keep all these invasive species from growing, so we’re helping move stuff so the natural plants can grow.”

Science teacher Sigurd Utgaard oversaw the project, with about 220 students working at the start of school and the second group coming in later.

Much of the students’ work involved cutting out invasive plant species on the hill above the park’s tennis courts.

“Basically we’re trying to make an outdoor environmental education area out of the park border, so we’re clearing out the honeysuckle and other growth,” Utgaard said.

They are also introducing new plantings, with an emphasis on creating a “food forest” featuring edible native species.

The plans also include a walking trail, a “bio-swale” to control erosion and control storm water runoff into the creek, and a nature classroom nearby.

The bio-swale, in a naturally wet area, is being done in conjunction with students from Lewis and Clark Community College.

Jeff Sherwood, an environmental tech student at LCCC, was working with the middle schoolers.

“This one will assist with erosion control as a water retention device,” he said of the bio-swale.

The work included digging out some channels, creating a small pond structure, and some barriers to channel water.

They will eventually remove some nonnative grasses and put in native plant species, Sherwood said.

“This is terrific,” he said of the middle school program. He added that someday they may be able to come back to the area and tell their children “I helped clear this out.”

“This is something they can carry with them,” he said.

At the school garden, students were working on expanding orchard plantings, staining and painting existing structures, and the assembly of a new chicken coop as part of a chicken demonstration project.

“We’re working on the garden, we’re expanding into an orchard planting,” Utgaard said.

They are adding several varieties of fruit trees, including plums, cherries and nectarines.

Emma Jones, who was busy raking up debris around the tennis courts, was excited about the coming of the chickens.

“Chickens are very sociable animals, so there have to be three or four, at least,” she said, adding the project was expected to have five.

Helping her rake was Layni Sebold.

“I think it’s a good thing that we’re doing to help out the environment and community,” she said. “It bothers all of us when there’s trash all over the ground and nobody picks it up.”

Alton Middle School students found out Friday that hard work can be fun. Three middle school boys work together to roll a log down the hillside on the west side of the school’s property during the AMS Service Day. A small army of students were clearing the hillside of bush honeysuckle and dead logs and branches.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_AMSServiceDay1LEAD.jpgAlton Middle School students found out Friday that hard work can be fun. Three middle school boys work together to roll a log down the hillside on the west side of the school’s property during the AMS Service Day. A small army of students were clearing the hillside of bush honeysuckle and dead logs and branches.

Some of the students used rakes and hoes to clear the weeds and honeysuckle, which has almost taken over the hillside. Teachers and some administrators also joined in the work detail.

http://thetelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/web1_AMSServiceDay2SECONDARY.jpgSome of the students used rakes and hoes to clear the weeds and honeysuckle, which has almost taken over the hillside. Teachers and some administrators also joined in the work detail.